


A Cottage in the Forest

by Girlintheforest



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Muriel x reader, Reader-Insert, also i have no idea how to use this site so buckle up, and you KNOW im gonna dip into that angst and drama later, im driven in all things by my love for muriel and ive accepted that, muriel - Freeform, shameless amounts of it, the arcana - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-03-26 16:22:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19009414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Girlintheforest/pseuds/Girlintheforest
Summary: Speculation about Muriel's route and his relationship with MC during the 3 year gap! I don't really have a plan I just LOVE this HUGE MOUNTAIN MAN !!! muriel x female apprentice, I don’t think there’s much gendered language but I did write this with my female OC in mind so it may be slanted!





	1. I'm Here to Help You

**Author's Note:**

> This is pretty similar to the first chapter of his route but it'll branch out more i promise dfkhsd

"I need you to help a friend of mine."

Asra often asked you to do strange things without much context. As his apprentice, you trusted him. But that didn't mean you felt entirely at peace as you navigated your way through the dense forest - something about it gave you a bad feeling. Maybe it was the overcast day, dripping gloom over the treetops, or the chill that seemed to permeate the air despite it having been perfectly warm out when you left the shop. Whatever the cause, all that mattered was navigating the forest to find your destination, a herculean task considering that the map Asra had drawn for you was...crude, at best. Faust probably could have done better. 

You were just about ready to give up when you spotted it - a small hut, tucked into a grove of trees, so small and well-camouflaged you nearly missed it. As you approached the door, you recalled what little Asra had told you - "He lives alone, in a hut in the forest. He may seem scary at first, but trust me, you've got nothing to be afraid of." Comforting. Off in the woods by yourself to meet a frightening stranger for reasons unknown. You couldn't even entertain the hope that the hut was empty, a thin trail of smoke snaking up from its makeshift chimney betrayed its occupant. But despite the circumstances, you trusted Asra. This person was safe if he said they were. Taking a breath, you knocked. 

Silence. For nearly a full minute, and you wondered if the owner of the hut was out after all. But then the door opened - slowly, with an agonizing creak - and you found yourself looking up at what may very well have been the largest man you'd ever seen. He was well over six feet tall, hulking, with a curtain of black hair that hung over half his face. Furs and straps decorated his body, and a large, spiked piece of armor snaked down his right arm, with which he was clutching his side. Simply put, he was intimidating. Highly so. But something about him surprised you - with his wide-eyed stare, he seemed even more put off by you than you were by him. He looked as if you'd just broken into his home, rather than just knocking on the door. The mutual apprehension gave you the small boost of confidence you needed to speak up. 

"Um - are you Asra's friend? I'm his apprentice, he - he gave me this map, and asked me to come find you. He said you needed help. So...here I am." You were nervous, stumbling a bit over your words, but you gave the towering stranger an encouraging smile. 

"I don't need your help."

You blinked. In a split second, the man's face had hardened from surprise into a sheet of stone. His rejection was so curt and assured, you struggled for a response. "Um, Asra didn't tell me what was wrong exactly, but he seemed certain that you - oh my God, is that all blood?" Your eyes widened as you saw the messy trail of red behind him on the dirt floor of the hut. He stayed silent, staring at the ground. Once again you glanced to where the stranger was holding his side. "...Did that come from you?" His hand tightened infinitesimally as you spoke, giving you the answer you needed. 

"Okay, let me in. You need help. I'm a magician too, like Asra, I can help you." You made a tiny step forward, that one movement prompting the enormous man to jump back. Realizing that was as much of an invitation as you were going to get, you squeezed past him and into the hut. He didn't resist, but stared at you as if you were wreaking havoc. The one-room interior was bare, but cozy. There was a fire, a bed, a crude table and two chairs, and a few utilitarian personal items scattered around. You slipped your satchel off your shoulder and started to root through it, taking out a few pouches of herbs to set them on the table. 

"Will you show me the wound?" You nodded towards the hand clutching his side. He seemed to realize that you weren't leaving until your job was done, so he slowly and reluctantly dropped his hand, revealing a deep, bloody gash in his flesh. You hissed through your teeth at the sight of it. Between the fresh injury and the myriad of other scars decorating his body, you wondered what the hell he got up to in his spare time. "Sit down? Please?" You coaxed him gently, and the man complied, giving you a wide berth as he crossed the hut to sit down on one of the chairs at his table. You picked up a pouch and pulled out a little stem covered in leaves, handing it to him. "Here - grind this between your teeth. I can't use magic to take away the pain of an injury, but this will at least help." 

He looked at it distrustfully. "...No one else has given me that." No one else? Had others been here, trying to help him? If they had gotten scared off, you wouldn't blame them. You smiled, trying to relax him enough to take the tense edge off his voice. "Well, most magicians just care about bare-bones healing. You know, making sure you don't die. But I think easing the pain is just as important as healing the injury. It...sort of looks like you've felt enough pain already." The man's brow furrowed, obviously confused, but he slowly took the herb from your hand and put it in his mouth. Infinitesimally, he relaxed.

"Alright, now comes the tough part. May I touch your wound?" You hadn't done a ton of healing jobs, but understandably, this is what people usually had the biggest issue with. This man, however, only gave a curt nod. Even with his consent, you wanted him to be sure that you weren't going to hurt him, so you moved slowly and carefully as you pressed your hand to his side. He winced visibly as your cool fingers brushed against his wound, looking anywhere but at the injury as his flesh knit itself back together. This wasn't a pleasant sensation for either of you - healing something so severe was incredibly draining for you, and feeling his injury shift and change like that had to be painful for him. But within a few minutes, the job was done. 

"There." You sat back on your heels with a satisfied smile. "How does it feel?" He brushed his fingers over the place where the gash in his side had been, then chanced a quick look at you before resuming his staring contest with the ground. "Fine." He huffed. You checked him over - his body seemed to be taking well to the healing, that was good. Some people had a hard time receiving magic. "Great!" You piped up, smiling encouragingly. "Can I start on the rest now?" The man seemed confused, furrowing his brow. "There's nothing else." 

You cocked your head. It may have been the only life-threatening injury, but his tanned skin was still littered with cuts and bruises. "....Healing the life-threatening stuff is the bare minimum. I can also help with these - if that's alright." You brushed your hand over a bruise on his shoulder, and with a small burst of gold light, it dissolved into nothing. He looked at the spot where your hand had brushed him, then at you. "....Fine."

You smiled and started your work eliminating his many, many scrapes and scratches. "So how did you get all of these, anyway? You seem pretty calm for someone who sustained such a large injury." It was as if he were used to having his life on the line - and, judging by his numerous deep scars, he was. "......Nowhere." He huffed, and quickly averted his gaze. Something told you that was all you'd be getting out of him on the subject, so you changed it. "Then...can you at least tell me your name? I'm MC." You offered, working your magic on a particularly nasty bruise. The man was hesitant, but eventually spoke. 

"Muriel."

"Muriel." You repeated after him, smiling at the small victory. "It's nice to meet you. This is a nice place you've got, by the way. Chickens, warm fire, surrounded by the forest - it's cozy." The shop was nice, but sometimes city life proved too busy for your liking. Muriel stayed silent as you healed the rest of his wounds, but he also very gradually began to relax. With every scrape you brushed away, his muscles relaxed a bit more, and even his breathing became more regular. He seemed almost comfortable, so much so that when you finally spoke, it startled him. "All done." You piped up, straightening up and stretching the stiffness out of your body. That was a mistake. You'd healed so much on Muriel that you had lost track of the injuries, lost track of how much of a toll they'd take on you. As soon as you tried to stand, your traitorous legs gave out beneath you, and you felt just how much of your energy had been drained. It was like the dizziness of standing up too suddenly, but about ten times worse. 

Muriel's reflexes were fast, almost inhumanly so. Before you could hit the ground he had sprung up from his chair and caught you by the waist. "Shit." You laughed, trying to look up at him through the spots in your vision. "Hope it's not rude of me to pass out. Bad first impression." His look of concern was the last thing you saw before your consciousness faded.


	2. Find Me if You Need Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Muriel has secrets !! what else is new

You awoke to the sound of murmuring. You opened your eyes, blinking to clear them of sleep as you surveyed your surroundings. This wasn't your home. You were in a bed, but it was unfamiliar. You froze temporarily before memories of the previous night flooded back to your mind - Asra, sending you out. The hut. Muriel. Shit - you had passed out, hadn't you? And...he'd given you his bed for the night. He could have done anything, could just as easily have killed you, but he put you up instead. Asra had been right, he certainly wasn't as scary as he looked. What was a kind, if gruff, soul like Muriel doing living alone in the middle of the forest?

Your attention turned back to the murmurs, now awake enough to process them as words. Staying still, you glanced to the door of the hut. It was still early morning, pale sunlight pouring in through the windows and the slivers of the doorway that weren't blocked by Muriel's enormous frame. He was talking to somebody outside, and seemed to be intentionally blocking them from entering the hut. "You know I trust you." A snide, nasal voice. It certainly wasn't Muriel's. "That's why I let you live out here in this shack. I know you won't try to run. Just make sure you're on time today." You saw Muriel give a silent nod. By his side, his hand was clenched. "Good. Put on a good show this afternoon." The voice sneered. Footsteps. Silence. The rustle of tack, then horse hooves against dirt. Whoever it was, they had left. 

Muriel closed the door, leaning heavily on it and closing his eyes. He looked...upset. Frustrated. Carefully, you slid out of bed, letting your feet land on the cool, packed dirt floor of the hut. You padded over to him, gently resting a hand on his arm. "Muriel?" He jumped, eyes widening, and looked at you. Any softness or sense of comfort that might have betrayed him the previous night was now gone. He pulled his arm away from you and went to sit at the table, taking the spiked piece of armor he had worn the night before and beginning what looked to be the arduous process of strapping it on. Well, you certainly weren't going to let what progress you had made with him last night go down the drain. You followed after him, taking the other seat and scooting a bit closer. "Can I help?" You asked. Muriel just stared at you, seeming acutely aware of how little space there was between you. "It might be easier, since I have two hands free." You reasoned.

"...If you want to." He grumbled, but turned to give you easier access to the straps. You smiled in spite of yourself, and started attaching the piece of armor to him. It looked too decorative to be part of a soldier's uniform, maybe he was some kind of performer. A performer with a high rate of injury. "Do you know where Asra's shop is? I know you two are friends. I live there with him, if you ever need healing again I'd love for you to call on me. If you're not comfortable in the shop, I can always come back here too." You chatted as you worked, filling up the silent room. Muriel seemed taken aback. "You...want to come back?" He glanced around the hut, as if trying to find what had made you so willing to return. 

You just nodded encouragingly. "Mhm. I'd like to get to know you better." That seemed to surprise him more than anything else you'd said, and he furrowed his brow. "Why." The question was so blunt it took you a few moments to formulate your answer. "...You're a nice person, Muriel. I've enjoyed getting to spend time with you." You smiled as you fastened the last buckle, patting his armor lightly. "There! All done." You chirped. He stared at you, unbelieving, then cast his gaze back to the ground and stood up. 

"You need to leave." His voice rumbled as Muriel walked to the door. "The forest is dangerous. I'll walk you back." Despite the harsh wording, you were fairly sure he was trying to be helpful. Begrudgingly, maybe, but helpful nonetheless. "I'd love that." You smiled, shouldering your bag and trotting over to his side.  
The two of you walked in silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable one - silence seemed to be what Muriel was most familiar with. Now that you had a guide and weren't hopelessly lost, you allowed yourself the luxury of admiring the forest. It was nicer in the daytime, with dappled sunshine warming your skin and lush ferns surrounding the path you walked on. "Thank you, by the way." You clutched the strap of your bag sheepishly, "For putting me up last night. I know you're not big on people, it was probably stressful having a near stranger spend the night." Muriel kept his gaze fixed on the path ahead of you. "...You just slept. It was fine." He said, and you smiled a little before piping up again. "You really don't want anyone to realize that you're a nice person, do you?" Muriel stopped for a moment, before furrowing his brow. "...I'm not. Don't say that." He quickened his pace, walking just slightly ahead of you. Maybe it was to prove his point, or maybe it was to hide the hint of blush spreading across his face. 

Something happened as you crossed the boundary from the forest and into the city. Muriel hardened, his gait became stiffer and his jaw set more firmly. It was as if he was trying to protect himself, but from what you weren't sure. There were no immediate threats in the area, if anything it was safer than being in the forest. It wasn't long before the two of you reached your shop, and you turned to Muriel to give him one last smile. "Thanks for walking me home, I'd still be wandering the woods if I tried to navigate by myself." You laughed, trying to dissuade some of his obvious discomfort, but he just looked away. "Don't try to come back." He huffed. 

The hurt must have been obvious on your face, because his eyes widened the tiniest amount as he spoke again. "...No, I mean...without me. The woods are dangerous. If I need you...I'll come get you." You brightened at that. 'If I need you, I'll come get you' - that meant he was planning to see you again. Considering how introverted he was, it felt like a victory. You couldn't help yourself, you beamed at him. "I'd like that. Safe travels to - um, where are you headed again?" The tension returned, and he shook his head. "Nowhere." Without another glance at you, Muriel turned and trundled into the street, soon disappearing into the early morning crowd. 

You watched him until you lost track of his enormous figure, and soon jumped at a voice behind you. "There you are! Are you alright? You were gone for so long, what on earth happened?" You spun around to see Asra in the doorway, looking relieved. With all that had happened, you completely forgot that he must have been worried. After all, what was supposed to be a short errand had turned into a full overnight trip. "Asra! I'm sorry, it's my fault - I overexerted myself and passed out. Muriel let me stay the night, it was really kind of him. Even if he was grumpy. I liked him." You laughed a little, and Asra cocked his head. "You got along with Muriel? That's...rare, to say the least, and I've known him for years. He goes through healers like firewood, they're all scared of him. He shuts out everyone." He paused, looking at you, and gave a small smile. “Well...almost everyone."


	3. Take Care of That One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Muriel have breakfast and go to the market! building up to that fluff y'all

It had been a few days since your adventure with Muriel, and you hadn't seen or heard from him since. It was difficult to choose between feeling disappointed that he hadn't come back, and feeling relieved since it meant he hadn't been injured again. 

It was early in the morning, and you were padding around the shop, getting ready to open for the day. You and Asra had restocked your jars of herbs the previous night, and you had just picked up an order of incense from the local vendor. Satisfied that the shop was customer-ready, you clicked open the door - and came face-to-face with Muriel. Well, face-to-back, really. It seemed you had caught him mid-escape, but he froze when he heard the door open, and slowly turned to face you, looking like a bear caught in headlights. 

"Muriel!" You chirped, grinning at the sight of him. You weren't sure what it was about the 6'10" giant in front of you, but he was just so nice to be around. "What brings you here? You're not hurt, are you?" He didn't look it, he wasn't even wearing his piece of armor, thought the large iron collar and bracers were still in place. He shook his head, looking down. "I don't have money. It's for the healing." He nodded towards the front step of the shop, and you looked down. A clumsily woven basket, that you suspected to be homemade, held several eggs and a bundle of what looked to be some sort of root vegetable. You picked it up, giving Muriel a delighted smile, and realized you had caught him in the middle of trying to escape after dropping it off. "Muriel, you don't need to pay me, it was a favor to a friend." He turned a subtle shade of red, and you continued, "But you're very sweet - will you come in? I can make us breakfast." You held up the basket indicatively. 

There was that now-familiar expression of discomfort. He looked ready to refuse, but before he could open his mouth, a young couple approached, eyeing him with a mix of excitement and wariness. "Excuse me," One of the girls piped up. "My girlfriend, she was wondering - we thought you might be - " She stumbled over her words, laughing excitedly before continuing. "Are you the S - "  
"No." 

He cut her off abruptly, something close to panic in his eye. In one smooth motion he all but pushed the two of you back into the shop, swinging the door shut. You blinked in surprise, and would have been indignant if he didn't look so upset. His knuckles were white on the doorknob, and his eyes were glued to the ground. Those girls obviously knew something about Muriel that you didn't. If they had been mistaken, he wouldn't have reacted the way he did. You wanted badly to press him for information, get him to tell you what had just happened, but you knew he wouldn't. He was still so wary around you, in everything he did, and you didn't want to jeopardize the minuscule rapport you felt that you had built with him. You also didn't want to make him any more upset than he clearly was. 

"Well...now that you're inside, how about some eggs? Asra's making our morning tea in the kitchen, I'm sure he'd be happy for your company." You rested your hand gently on his arm. He jumped slightly, looking at your hand, but this time didn't pull away. Maybe he needed the comfort, however unaccustomed to it he was. He nodded once, and you grinned, using the hand on his arm to lead him upstairs to the small kitchen area. "Asra, we have a guest!" You called, and he turned, looking pleasantly surprise when he saw Muriel in tow. "Muriel, this is unexpected. It's rare that I can ever get you inside, my apprentice must be very convincing." He grinned. 

"Persuasion is my art!" You piped up, striding into the kitchen and setting a pan on the stove before the topic of why Muriel was really in the shop could come up. You had a distinct feeling he wouldn't want to explain it to Asra. "Muriel, you can have a seat at the table." Asra smiled, and with some hesitation, Muriel sat. You made quick work of the eggs, scrambling them with a mix of fresh herbs and vegetables from the pantry. There was a garden behind the shop where Asra liked to grow small amounts of herbs for magic, but they worked just as nicely in the kitchen. You watched with some fascination as Asra made small talk with Muriel, talking about chickens and gardening. Muriel's answers stayed short, and Asra had to carry most of the conversation, but they did seem to get along well. Maybe that meant there was hope of you befriending him, too. 

Both the tea and the eggs were eventually ready, and you and Asra joined Muriel at the table. "What do you like to do for fun, Muriel?" You glanced at him. Fun didn't seem to be a concept he was particularly familiar with, but he had to have something to do when he wasn't off getting mysterious injuries. He took a long pause before answering. "...I carve. And garden. Sometimes Asra comes to the hut." He mumbled, and Asra laughed. "On a good day, you'll even let me inside." He took a sip of tea. "I'm glad you two met. I'd heal you myself, Muriel, but I'm away too often to be reliable. MC is perfect for the job, and it seems like you two are bonding already." 

Muriel stiffened mid-drink, braving a look at you before quickly turning his eyes to his plate. "No we're not." He grumbled. Asra smiled, and the look he gave you told you that the denial was more for show than anything. The three of you - well, mostly you and Asra - tested out a few more topics of conversation over your breakfast before Muriel eventually stood, collecting all of the empty dishes and taking them to the counter to wash them. "I should leave. I need to...go to the market." He said, "...Thank you for breakfast." 

"Oh, the market?" Asra piped up, "Maybe MC can join you. They were just going to make a trip down that way to get some more incense." You cocked your head, about to remind him of the bulk amount you had picked up just that morning, but Asra smiled and gave you a wink. Sneaky little magician, not that you were complaining.

"...Sure." Muriel mumbled. It was a pleasant surprise, you had half-expected him to refuse the company. You helped to dry and put away the dishes before the two of you departed, you looking almost comically small next to Muriel's enormous figure. 

It was still early in the day when you reached the market, but a crowd had already formed, making it difficult to navigate quickly. The two of you were forced to meander, and you noticed Muriel begin to tense up again in the same way he had when you crossed the boundary between the forest and the city. You thought about offering a hand, but you didn't want to test his limits when he was clearly already not having a wonderful time. The crowds seemed to part slightly whenever Muriel drew near, and he was attracting an awful lot of looks, whispers surrounding him that he was trying hard to ignore. You huffed - you knew Muriel was unusual looking, but it was no reason to gossip. "What do you need to get?" You asked as a means of distraction, and he seemed thankful for something to concentrate on. 

"Feed." Feed? Oh, right, he and Asra had been talking about chickens earlier in the shop. 

"Do you keep chickens? I'd love to meet them, they're so silly when they walk." You smiled, but Muriel regarded you strangely. 

"I don't keep them. We live near each other. And I feed them." He stated, and you let out a small laugh. When he gave you a confused look, you shook your head. 

"Sorry, sorry. You're just - I like your company, Muriel. You're nice to be around." His brow furrowed at that, and he quickly looked away. When you first met him you might have been hurt at him ignoring you, but you were starting to learn to interpret his silence. In this particular instance, he seemed to be trying to process the compliment, since he was so unwilling to accept kind things said about him. 

To his very core, Muriel was different from anyone you had ever met before. Gruff but kind, wary but a good soul. Had he always been this way, or had something happened to make him put up a barrier? You thought about the girls who had tried to talk to him today on the front step of the shop. He didn't seem to recognize them, but they certainly knew who he was. Or knew something about him, anyway. How well-known could a hermit living alone in the woods possibly be?  
Muriel stopped abruptly, nearly causing you to bump into him. You looked up and realized you were at a large booth dedicated to farming supplies. A little old woman sat on a stool, skin tanned and clothes faded from a lifetime under the sun. She gave a lopsided grin when she saw Muriel, but before she could greet him he stooped and whispered something in her ear. She feigned offense, crossing her arms.

"Call you - what? So _now_ I get to know, after all these years." The woman rolled her eyes, but when she saw you, her face brightened. "Oh, I see. First time you've brought somebody with you. Haven't told the pretty thing yet, eh? Fine, I'll play. Well, _Muriel_ \- " She put a dramatic emphasis on his name, and he winced, " - your order's right over there. You really do more labor than a few bags of feed is worth, you know, I keep telling you you can help yourself to more." He just shook his head, and the woman sighed. "Bless you, I don't know how I'd get everything planted if I didn't have your help. My back doesn’t care for farming as much as it used to." As she talked, Muriel collected two large burlap sacks of feed from the side of the stall, hoisting them over his shoulder as if they were stuffed with feathers. 

"You take care of that one now, young lady, he's a catch." The woman winked playfully at you, and you laughed as Muriel turned absolutely pink, quickly turning tail and walking away from the stall. You trotted after him, allowing him to set a quick pace through the market. He seemed more than ready to leave, so you didn't linger, stopping him only when you reached a booth selling incense and candles. 

It wasn't your usual supplier, so you didn't need to worry about them remarking on the fact that you'd been there once that day already. You surveyed their impressive collection, and absentmindedly tugged on Muriel's cloak to get his attention. He looked down at the place where you had touched him, and shuffled closer to your side. "...What?"

"What scent should I get?" You gestured to the wide array of incense, plucking one of the sticks from its jar and smelling it, then holding it out to Muriel. He looked at you with hesitance before leaning closer to test the scent for himself. 

"...Myrrh." He mumbled, straightening again. "It's good." You smiled at him before turning back to the vendor to purchase a small bag of it. You tucked it into your satchel, then rejoined Muriel on the path through the market as you headed home. The trip had been quick, but you enjoyed the time you got to spend with him nonetheless. The two of you - mostly you - chatted as you made the walk back to the shop, and you began learning to ignore the strange looks from passersby just like Muriel did. 

When you reached the shop, you paused on the front step, turning to look up at him. "Thanks for spending the morning with me, this was nice." You smiled. It was tempting to invite him in, but you knew this was already more socialization than Muriel was accustomed to. He seemed ready for some recovery time, so you just gave him a wave and turned to enter the shop. 

"...If you really do want to meet the chickens..." Muriel's low, rumbling voice made you stop and look back to him, "...You can come back to the hut. We can feed them." His gaze was glued, unmoving, to the ground, waiting nervously for your response as if he was already expecting you to decline. 

"Muriel, I'd love to." You couldn't help your smile, and he chanced a rare look at your face, taking a few moments to process that you had accepted. Slowly, he returned your smile with his own. It was small, timid, out of practice, but a smile nonetheless.


	4. A Little Longer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a Dollop of angst you say?????

It was a slow day. You and Asra were manning the shop, and you shuffled your tarot deck idly, lost in thought. It hadn't been long since the two of you had met, but you really did enjoy the time you spent with Muriel. Something was bothering you, though - he was secretive, and that was fine, but the mysterious injuries and scars decorating his body would be a cause of concern for anyone. He had a right to privacy, but you were still a bit anxious, wanting to make sure he was safe.

"...Asra?"

You glanced over to where he was working. He was sewing what appeared to be a small pink tube, but to the discerning eye it was a sweater to be added to Faust's ever-growing collection. "Hm?" He looked up, giving you a warm, relaxed smile.

"You're Muriel's friend. You know more about him than I do. Why...what happened to him, that day that you sent me to his hut?" This caused Asra to pause, lowering his needle and thread.

"He hasn't told you yet?" He looked slightly incredulous, then shook his head. "No, of course he wouldn't." Asra sighed, "Muriel...hasn't had an easy life. We used to live under the docks together when we were children. Eventually, I was able to teach myself to fit in with the rest of society...he always found it more challenging than I did. A lot of people have taken advantage of Muriel over the course of his life, probably because he never resists anyone." His expression soured, and I remembered the voice I had heard the morning I woke up in Muriel's hut.

_'That's why I let you live out here in this shack. I know you won't try to run.'_

Was he working for someone? What the hell were they making him do? From the state of him, it was obviously something dangerous - Muriel looked as if he'd had about a dozen near-death experiences by this point. It seemed like Asra was unwilling to tell you exactly what was happening to Muriel, and you didn't blame him. Muriel was a private person, he wouldn't want somebody else spilling his secrets. But still, you wanted to know - especially as the person responsible for healing him.

"...Will you be alright if I leave for a couple hours? I'd like to go talk to him." You scooped up your bag from where it was tucked behind the counter, and Asra nodded. "I think that's a good idea. Muriel's the kind of person who needs rock-solid evidence that you care about him before he'll believe it. Visiting will be just the thing." He gave you a wave as you headed out the door. The woods were easier to navigate this time, whether it was because you'd been there before or just because there was more light now. You felt sure of your steps as you made the trek through the trees and bushes to the cozy little clearing where Muriel's hut sat. A small jolt of nerves ran through you as you approached it - you weren't sure why, so you did your best to ignore it, knocking on the rough wood door.

After a few moments, the door creaked open. Muriel was wearing his armor again, and his hair looked as if he'd at least attempted to run a brush through it. What surprised you was his expression - it was worlds different than you were used to. He opened the door looking miserable, angry and resigned all at once. And when he saw you, it only took an instant to change to fear.

"No - " His eyes widened, and the words he choked out were barely a whisper, " - No. You can't be here. You have to leave. Now." He could try all he wanted to sound stern, but the panic in his voice was plenty evident.

"Muriel, what's wrong? Did something happen?" You furrowed your brow and reached out to rest a hand on his arm, but he flinched away.

"No. It's fine. But you need to go - please." He wasn't meeting your eye, but his gaze also wasn't trained on the ground like it normally was. This time it was fixed on something behind you. You turned just as the sound of horse hooves against dirt made itself known.

A bearded man with dark hair was approaching the hut, and the uniform he was wearing gave away his status as someone who worked at the palace. "Come on, it's showtime." He called out, but stopped when he saw you standing beside Muriel.

"Oh - who's this?" The man sneered. "Awfully pretty to be spending time with someone like you, Scourge."

Muriel winced. "Just a healer. No one important." He mumbled, eyes glued to the ground. Just a healer? You'd have been hurt if he didn't seem so upset. Whoever the man was, it was clear Muriel didn't care for him. Your put your hand on his arm, about to guide him back into the hut, but before you could he caught your hand in his and gave it a gentle but desperate squeeze. "You can stay at the hut. Or go back to town. But...please, don't follow me." He pleaded, his voice a rumbling whisper.

Quickly, he released your hand and turned away, nodding to the man on horseback. Seeming not to be concerned with you, the man began to guide his horse away from the hut at a walk, with Muriel following at its side. You stared as they left, in disbelief. Muriel clearly hated that man - or feared him, you weren't sure which. Maybe both. Why, then, was he going with him? To a place he didn't want you to follow, no less. Every ounce of you burned with the instinct to go after him, but that would probably only make him more upset. You may not agree with it, or even understand it at all, but keeping a distance between the two of you was Muriel's choice.

Asra had closed up the shop by the time you arrived home. It was early, but there hadn't been many customers that day anyway. He took one look at you as you entered before sighing sympathetically. "I'm guessing you didn't get the heart-to-heart you'd hoped for." Asra offered a smile. You slid down into a chair, consumed by your thoughts.

"It's more than that. I...I think he might be tangled up in something bad." You explained what had happened outside of his hut, about the man and how upset Muriel had seemed. Asra listened patiently, with an unreadable expression on his face, until you had finished. Eventually he shook his head.

"Strange as it may sound, you don't need to worry. Muriel is used to what he's doing, and he can hold his own." The words offered some comfort, but less than you had been hoping for Asra placed a hand over yours, running his thumb over your palm in a reassuring gesture. He stood, making his way over to the stove to heat some water for tea, and you smiled softly. You already knew what he was making - there was a special blend that Asra concocted whenever you were having a hard time. It always helped. It had subtle magical properties, of course, but it was also his way of telling you he was there for you when you needed support, and that helped more than any magic. Watching him in the kitchen, you rested your chin your palm, slowly starting to relax more than you had all day. You were soon startled, however, by a loud banging on the door downstairs.

"It must be a customer...can't they read the sign?" You leaned your head back and groaned, but inwardly you were glad for the distraction. You stood up from the table, slipping down the stairs and readying your best customer service smile as you opened the door.

It was Muriel, looking even worse than he had the night you met. Blood was splattered all over his left side, and there was a painful-looking cut down his cheek. Your eyes widened when you saw him, about a dozen different emotions from worry to shock competing for your mind. "I'm sorry." Muriel blurted out before you could say anything, a note of fear in his eyes. "For today. For saying you weren't important."

You gave him a look of disbelief. That's why he had come by? "Gods, Muriel, you're dripping more blood than I've ever seen in one place and you're worrying about whether you hurt my feelings? Come inside, I'll get you cleaned up." You grabbed his hand, and he let you lead him into the shop, putting up no resistance.  
Once upstairs - after noting that Asra had conveniently disappeared - you sat him in a kitchen chair, then went to gather a cloth and a bucket of cool water. Something was different about him tonight. He'd been tense before, and definitely uncomfortable, but tonight Muriel seemed truly shaken. He was trying to hide it, but when you looked closely, you could see his breathing was ragged, and the hand he had resting on the table was trembling slightly.  
You took the chair beside him, eased his cloak off his shoulders, and began the work of cleaning him up. You had always been delicate with him, but given the events of the day, you resolved to now be especially so. As you gingerly wiped the blood from his side, your eyes flickered between the cloth and Muriel's face to make sure he was alright.

"It looks like you've had a hard day." You glanced up at him, but his face hardened - bad topic. You quickly switched gears, making comparatively vapid small talk. You talked about the shop, the customers who had come in the past few days, the shop vendors you had talked to. Muriel listened in silence, but it wasn't a sullen one. He was listening to your every word, content with the one-sided conversation. To your surprise, as you worked, he very gradually began to relax. His jaw unclenched, and the hand that had been gripping the edge of the table loosened. He was concentrated on you, studying your movements with an unreadable look on his face. By the time you were halfway done, he was still his usual brand of on-edge, but much, much less so than before. Gradually you ran out of conversation to make and lapsed into quietness yourself, but neither of you minded.

The downside to silence, however, was that it gave you time to think. To think about the wounds decorating Muriel's body, the panic in his eyes, the way he flinched every time you reached out to touch him. You could make all the distracting small talk in the world, it wasn't going to make things okay.

"Muriel?" Softly, your voice broke the silence. You were almost afraid to bring up the topic, but knew you had to. "...What happened? Why do you keep getting hurt?"  
His breath hitched, and he quickly looked away, brow furrowed. You were afraid he was going to stay silent, but eventually he spoke up, his voice a low rumble. "...People try to hurt me. I stop them."

You cocked your head. Someone, not something, kept injuring him. Was he undergoing some sort of brutal training? Who the hell would do this to a gentle person like Muriel? You looked down at his chest to inspect the injury you had uncovered beneath the blood. Except...there wasn't one. Underneath the splatter, his skin was smooth and unbroken. 

"This...isn't yours? You looked down at the bucket, water now dyed a deep crimson. Who was trying to hurt him, and what did stopping them entail? You couldn't picture Muriel bringing himself to hurt someone. He was definitely physically capable, but you knew for certain that it wasn't in his character. No, he couldn't have been the one to draw this blood. Muriel opened his mouth as if to speak, hesitated, and closed it again. And again. You saw the internal conflict play out on his face for a long while before he finally spoke. 

"...I'll tell you soon. What I do. But...please...not yet." His hand moved with painstaking hesitance across the table, before he very gently brushed his fingers over yours, red blush overtaking his face. "I want to...stay like this a little longer." It was the first time he had voiced his opinion on...well, anything. And touching you voluntarily wasn't something you had ever thought you would see him to, you couldn't keep pressing him now. He was so earnest, so pleading.   
You slowly took his hand in yours, giving it a light squeeze. 

"...Okay. A little longer."


End file.
